Axar Patel has shown promise in his debut season as captain in the Indian Premier League (IPL), but was his decision-making off-kilter against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Sunday? As the match reached its climax, analysts Anil Kumble, Wasim Jaffer, and Sanjay Bangar mulled over whether Axar’s choice of bowlers in the final overs was a misstep.
With the game narrowed down to the last few overs, RCB required 38 runs from 24 balls—a manageable task on a challenging pitch. Mukesh Kumar began the 17th over, conceding 12 runs to Krunal Pandya and Virat Kohli. Dushmantha Chameera’s subsequent over saw another nine runs added. However, things came undone as Mukesh conceded consecutive boundaries in the 19th to Tim David—effectively sealing DC’s fate. Interestingly, seasoned pacer Mitchell Starc and young leg-spinner Vipraj Nigam had remaining overs.
“I don’t know [what DC were thinking]. When you have 18-19 runs [RCB needed 17 off two] to defend in the concluding stages, you trust your best bowler with the 19th over,” remarked Anil Kumble on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out show. “Handing the ball to Mukesh over Starc was surprising. The result might have been unchanged, but the approach was flawed.”
The strategic intent might have been to provide Starc with eight to nine runs to defend in the final over, a tactic possibly derived from his prior success against the Rajasthan Royals (RR). Bangar elaborated, “There must have been lingering confidence from the RR game. Axar perhaps thought Starc could manage nine runs again, thus opted for Mukesh’s over. Had Starc conceded around 12 runs, there was still Nigam for the end. Spinners can be game-changers. Axar missed an opportunity.”
Did Axar lack confidence in Nigam’s abilities? Despite his relative inexperience, Nigam has been respectable in his first IPL season with nine wickets and a modest economy rate of 9.34. However, his misused potential is reflected in his mere 23 overs bowled across nine matches. Facing a left-handed, in-form Krunal might have led Axar to avoid the leg-spinner.
Jaffer shared his perspective: “I felt he [Axar] didn’t show enough trust in Vipraj. He could have been given a couple of overs; it might have made a difference. With two overseas batters at that point, including Jitesh [Sharma] as the main batter, it might have been challenging for RCB.”
Despite this setback, Delhi Capitals (DC) remain in contention for the playoffs, sitting fourth with six wins from nine matches. Upcoming fixtures against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), and Punjab Kings (PBKS)—teams inconsistent in form—offer DC a chance to solidify their position. However, the final stretch against Mumbai Indians (MI) and Gujarat Titans (GT) promises stiff competition.
Axar Patel appears set on learning and adapting, and his leadership journey in the IPL continues to unfold with anticipation surrounding the Delhi Capitals’ approach in their next matches.
